Introduction

Exclusion is the process by which some people are left out/excluded from a group or situation. It can also be described as an incident/s where an individual is ostracised, with associated feelings of alienation and being sidelined. In the workplace, exclusion has significant effects on a person’s relationships, opportunities, and career journey.

Inclusion, on the other hand, is at the heart of an individual’s psychological needs: the need to belong, to be treated with dignity and respect, to experience a sense of autonomy, competence, self-confidence, and self-esteem, and to have a meaningful existence. According to Maslow’s (1943) hierarchy of needs, once people have satisfied their physiological needs for food, shelter, and safety, we turn our attention to love and a sense of belonging, feeling valued, and, ultimately, self-actualisation. Understanding what people’s needs are, and what motivates them, are central to any successful organisational practice. As a consequence, inclusivity and integration in the workplace contribute greatly towards securing those values of human dignity and respect, equality, freedom, and psychological well-being that give people’s lives direction and meaning. Our research explores the stories of the research respondents with regard to experiencing the opposite – feeling excluded, alienated, marginalised, and discriminated against, and we explore the psychological, behavioural, and organisational effects of their lived experiences.